Manchester United ‘must sell’ £16m flop in January to unleash Amad Diallo, says ex-winger

Former Manchester United winger has explained that Rúben Amorim must sell Antony to unleash Amad Diallo in his 3-4-3 system.

Rúben Amorim has been spending the last two weeks getting to know his squad as he prepares for his opening set of fixtures at the club.

The new Manchester United head coach has been keen to point out that, due to the heavy fixture schedule, he has limited time to install his system with his key players, such as Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martínez.

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However, his opening few games will give the coach valuable time to watch his new players on the field as he figures out the strengths and weaknesses of his squad as a whole and his individual players.

Those such as Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Noussair Mazraoui have already been trialled in new positions, and the experimenting is set to continue over the coming months.

Sharpe’s transfer demand

Former United winger Lee Sharpe, who made 253 appearances for United between 1988 and 1996, has had his say on Antony, who he feels should be sold by Amorim.

The Brazilian winger, who was brought in for around £85 million in 2022, has failed to impress in his two seasons at the club, with his value dropping to just £16 million.

“Antony’s been very disappointing for Manchester United since day one,” Sharpe told TG Casino. “We’ve seen flashes of his ability, but nothing ever consistent to what he was showing at Ajax.

“When you consider the formation that Ruben Amorim will be playing, I think he will struggle to get a game.

“For me, if United can get a half-decent price in January and get him off the wage bill, that would allow Amorim to buy one or two other players that would suit the system well.”

Unleashing Amad Diallo

Further, Sharpe also suggested that Amad’s fantastic display at right wing-back against Ipswich on Sunday makes the decision to sell Antony easier.

It would allow Amad less competition and more chance to thrive in the right wing-back role or as an attacking midfielder.

“Amad Diallo was very good against Ipswich in that right wing back position. There were obviously some question marks about whether he’d be good enough defensively, but he’s probably one of the more industrial players out of the four wingers Manchester United have at their disposal.

“He understands the game well and I don’t think he’s ever let anybody down whenever he’s been in the team. He very rarely gives the ball away and he’s very powerful for his size – we saw his pace when he was going past players.

“He’s got the energy but he’s also got the intellect, so I think he can be a bit of a surprise package in that position for United.”

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